The first skincare product I ever pledged my loyalty to was my undereye cream. Many moons ago, before I had baby lines on my forehead and my cheeks were full of collagen, Sam Dubow (hi Sammie!) introduced me to Shiseido’s White Lucent Anti-Dark Circles Eye Cream. I never really dealt with puffiness or crows feet, but I often masqueraded as a raccoon after long, primarily drunk nights. I desperately needed something to help lighten my dark circles, and this incredible cream really made a difference. Years later, despite my now primarily sober nights, I still use it every day and love it just as much.
Since I only ever wanted an eye cream that lightened dark circles, I paid little attention to the options out there that did more - some hydrate! Some plump! Some smooth wrinkles! Some cool and soothe! Some firm sagging skin! Some protect from pollution! And some, supposedly, do (g) all of the above! And here I was just being like, I got 4 hours of sleep and I don’t want to look like I got punched in the face last night, please help me.
Here are some great facts about the area around your peepers I’ve learned over the course of the past two weeks:
(1) In terms of application, you’re apparently supposed to tap instead of spread…something I’ve been doing wrong all of these years.
(2) The skin around your eyes is TEN TIMES thinner than your normal skin, so it requires its own product regimen as a result.
(3) The most effective ingredients in undereye creams are Vitamin C, Vitamin K, Caffeine (same), and Ceramides.
(4) The price range for undereye products is staggering, with the cheapest clocking in at $10 and the most expensive running you $550 (PLZ hit me up if you try this one, but also PLZ sponsor me?).
When I began my research for this list, even I was overwhelmed by the sheer volume of information out there on undereye creams. There were 20 lists I compiled to create the Vitamin C Serum guide…for this product category, there are 34. There were 123 Vitamin C products reviewed to create the last newsletter…there are 231 in this one. I’m going to shut up shortly and give you the Top 10. But first…
Full disclosure: the VAST majority (and I mean vast majority) of these products genuinely seem to do the same like, 4 things. I retyped “targets fine lines and wrinkles, erases dark circles, de-puffs, hydrates” on my spreadsheet so many times I lost count. When a product below is known for something specific I will of course point it out, but between us I’m pretty confident that on average, they all serve pretty much the same function. Here we go!
The Top 10 undereye creams, based on the 34 lists and 231 products I reviewed, are:
Neocutis Lumiere Bio-Restorative Eye Cream - $97 - Have you ever heard of Neocutis? OK good because I haven’t either. Our first of four (!!) winners, this eye cream appeared on 10 of the 34 lists I read. Despite knowing nothing about this brand (which I have learned specializes in eye serums/creams), this particular product supposedly does it all: de-puffs, fights wrinkles, soothes, minimizes dark circles, plumps skin and stops swelling. It is also gentle enough for those with sensitive skin. I’m kind of shocked I have never come across this option before, so I’m curious to know if anyone has used it or has any feedback on it.
Neutrogena Hydro Boost Eye Gel Cream - $14 - Until I started compiling these lists 6 months ago, I did not realize how popular and well regarded Neutrogena products still are after all this time. The only brand with two creams on this list, the Hydro Boost Eye Gel tied for first place with an impressive showing on 10 lists. Despite being the cheapest of the top picks, it hydrates, plumps and is effective for both oily and sensitive skin. To top it all off, it is a perennial Amazon best seller.
RoC Retinol Correxion Eye Cream - $18 - Similar to Neocutis, I most certainly had never heard of RoC prior to beginning my research for this list. An Amazon best-seller, this affordable first place winner (10 mentions) plumps, eliminates dark circles, targets deep wrinkles and doesn’t pill under makeup. It is most known for being very potent, as per its retinol component, but if you wear this stuff you have to be careful and pair it with SPF so your skin doesn’t get irritated!
Ole Henriksen Banana Bright Eye Cream - $39 - Our final first place winner, also with 10 mentions, is this cult favorite Banana Bright Eye Cream. People reeeeeally love this citrus-scented stuff. Claiming the title of “overall winner” on several of the lists I reviewed, this cream specifically targets signs of aging and dark circles. It is known for being lightweight, and is Sephora’s best-seller in the eye cream category. For all of this, the $39 price tag seems pretty reasonable.
Drunk Elephant C-Tango Multivitamin Eye Cream - $64 - The three-way tie for second place begins with this Drunk Elephant classic, which appeared on 9 of 34 lists. Writing and researching for this newsletter has really given me newfound appreciation for DE products; they are genuinely so well-rated and highly regarded it’s impossible to not want to try them all. This Sephora best seller soothes irritated skin, lightens dark circles, and targets fine lines. Together with their similarly loved Shaba Complex Eye Serum ($60, 4 mentions), DE seems to have undereye tinctures down to a science.
Estee Lauder Advanced Night Repair Eye Supercharged Complex - $64 - Our next second place winner is this age-old Estee Lauder cream, which has thousands of positive reviews on Sephora, Nordstrom, Saks and Bloomingdales. Known for its thick, smooth texture, it fights some unique battles - sleep deprivation, UV damage, pollution buildup, and fine lines.
SkinCeuticals AGE Eye Complex - $98 - SkinCeuticals took top billing last week with their CE Ferulic Vitamin C Serum, and they showed up once again for eye creams, tying for second place with 9 mentions. They actually had two other creams make the list, their AOX+Eye Gel ($95, 4 mentions) and their Physical Eye UV Defense SPF 50 ($30, 1 mention), but the AGE Complex was the only one to make the Top 10. Similar to the Banana Bright Eye Cream, this potion was crowned an “overall winner” on several lists, as it targets fine lines and wrinkles, brightens dark circles and is fragrance free for those with sensitive skin.
Kiehl’s Creamy Eye Treatment with Avocado - $32 - After doing the leg work to compile this list, I was worn down enough by the end that I had to cave and buy at least one of the products that made the cut, and it was this Kiehl’s option that got my attention (and ultimately, my money). Making cameos on 7 lists, this Sephora best seller is formulated for people with dry to extremely dry skin (hello, it’s me). On top of intense hydration, it is known for smoothing fine undereye lines —> less makeup getting stuck in your creases. Now for the fun part…there were FOUR other Kiehl’s products that appeared on some combination of the lists but did not make the Top 10. So here is a list within THE list:
a. Kiehls’s Midnight Recovery Eye Cream ($40, 4 nods)
b. Kiehl’s Eye Fuel ($24, 2 nods)
c. Kiehl’s Facial Fuel Eye De-Puffer ($22, 1 nod)
d. Kiehl’s Youth Dose Eye Treatment ($40, 1 nod)Neutrogena Rapid Wrinkle Repair Under Eye Cream - $18 - Neutrogena’s second victor, this cream appeared on 7 of the 34 lists. As the name suggests, it targets wrinkles, crows feet and other signs of aging, plumping skin via its retinol component. The $18 price tag doesn’t hurt, either. It is worth noting that Neutrogena had a third product that appeared on only one list, their Rapid Dark Circle Repair Eye Cream ($18). Despite not making the Top 10, it got high marks for being fast acting, having an easy applicator tip and brightening dark circles.
Sunday Riley Auto-Correct Brightening & Depuffing Eye Contour Cream - $65 - Bringing up the rear is this Sunday Riley cream, which received a respectable 6 mentions across the 34 lists. Formulated especially to minimize puffiness, this option also hydrates, smooths, and adds glow. A good choice if your goal is to roll out of the house looking bright eyed and bushy tailed (although let’s be honest, is anyone rolling out of the house at all right now, tail or no tail?).
Now, trying THIS again since it seems to have failed again last week:
And this one too…continue spreading the word and forwarding to friends & fam!
Up Next: Hydrating Serums!!
Eye’ll see in 2 weeks,
Ariel
The following lists were amalgamated to create this Fruits Of My Labor collection:
allure.com - The 36 Best Eye Creams to Improve Dark Circles and Puffiness
prevention.com -16 Best Eye Creams for Wrinkles, According to Dermatologists
goodhousekeeping.com - 17 Best Eye Creams That Really Work, Tested by Skin Scientists
travelandleisure.com - 13 Hydrating Eye Creams to Get Your Skin Through Quarantine
health.com - The 15 Best Eye Creams, According to Dermatologists
nymag.com - The Best Eye Creams, According to Experts
elle.com - 10 Dermatologist-Approved Eye Creams That Fight Dark Circles, Puffiness, And Fine Lines
vogue.com - The Best Eye Creams For Every Concern
businessinsider.com - The Best Eye Creams and Serums
sephora.com - Best Selling Eye Creams of 2020
shape.com - The 10 Best Eye Creams That Firm, De-Puff, and Brighten Dark Circles
harpersbazaar.com - The 15 Best Eye Creams
instyle.com - The 11 Best Eye Creams for Dark Circles, According to Thousands of Customer Reviews
thecut.com - 17 Under-Eye Creams That Actually Work
oprahmag.com - 15 Best Anti-Aging Eye Creams to Reduce Bags and Puffiness
huffpost.com - The Best Eye Creams That Dermatologists Swear By
ipsy.com - These 9 Eye Creams Work Wonders on Dark Circles
amazon.com - Best Sellers in Eye Treatment Products
cnn.com - Best Eye Creams for Dark Circles
marieclaire.com - The 15 Best Eye Creams to Banish Puffy Under-Eyes Fast
popsugar.com - The 12 Best Eye Creams For Addressing Under-Eye Lines, Circles, and Puffiness
cosmopolitan.com - 9 Best Eye Creams for Dark Circles and Puffiness
whowhatwear.com - The $20-and-Under Eye Creams That Will Make Your Skin Look Like a Million Bucks
townandcountrymag.com - 11 Wrinkle-Fighting Eye Creams You Need on Your Nightstand
realsimple.com - These 11 Eye Creams Will Actually Make a Difference, According to Dermatologists
forbes.com - The Best Anti-Aging Eye Creams of 2019
womenshealthmag.com - The 16 Best Eye Creams For Dark Circles, Fine Lines, Puffiness, And More
self.com - The 11 Best Eye Creams, According to Dermatologists
dermstore.com - The Best Eye Creams for Your Under-Eye Woes
healthline.com - The Best Eye Creams for 5 Scenarios
today.com - The 8 Best Drugstore Eye Creams
refinery29.com - These Eye Creams Are Like Coffee For Your Face
glamour.com - The 17 Best Eye Creams Actually Worth Your Money
This is SO SO great! I love the way it's laid out (so I can see whatever's cheapest) and how fun it is to read. As a person who DGAFs about beauty products, but loves quippy writing, this is PERFECT and really engaging. Go, Ariel, Go! Maybe I will buy an undereye cream since you've taught me what they are!
This is amazing!!!!! I love this, so good. Thank you